as in joining
to become a friend to (someone)
He befriended the new student.
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Recent Examples of befriending
More and more people are avoiding dating or befriending those with opposing political views, and growing numbers describe those on the other side as closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent.
—
Justin Callais, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Jingliang Su, a Chinese national, faces almost four years in prison for his role in crypto fraud that relied on befriending Americans on social media, then winning their trust in order to fleece them.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The only problem with this whole Hollywood Cinderella story is that Simon is secretly harboring superpowers, a big no-no for the entertainment industry, and Trevor has some ulterior motives in befriending this real-life superhero who wants to play a superhero in a movie.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Adapting the second installment, which was released in 2014, the movie continues the adventures of Hiccup (Thames), the dragon-befriending Viking who opened up his village to the possibilities of coexisting with the flying, fire-breathing creatures.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Still, others are happiest at a considered farm stay or upstate hideaway, where the pleasure lies in quiet mornings and befriending animals on the farm.
—Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
After meeting and befriending a single mother and her three daughters, Wildhorn begins to open up and regains his passion for writing.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Dec. 2025
Then our hero traps and wounds a Night Fury, a uniquely evasive and dangerous breed of dragon, and winds up secretly befriending it.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
In the book, Ronson recalled befriending Ethan, who at the time was roommates in New York City with Simon Rex.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Justin Callais, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
Jingliang Su, a Chinese national, faces almost four years in prison for his role in crypto fraud that relied on befriending Americans on social media, then winning their trust in order to fleece them.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 28 Jan. 2026
The only problem with this whole Hollywood Cinderella story is that Simon is secretly harboring superpowers, a big no-no for the entertainment industry, and Trevor has some ulterior motives in befriending this real-life superhero who wants to play a superhero in a movie.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
Adapting the second installment, which was released in 2014, the movie continues the adventures of Hiccup (Thames), the dragon-befriending Viking who opened up his village to the possibilities of coexisting with the flying, fire-breathing creatures.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Still, others are happiest at a considered farm stay or upstate hideaway, where the pleasure lies in quiet mornings and befriending animals on the farm.
—Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
After meeting and befriending a single mother and her three daughters, Wildhorn begins to open up and regains his passion for writing.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 20 Dec. 2025
Then our hero traps and wounds a Night Fury, a uniquely evasive and dangerous breed of dragon, and winds up secretly befriending it.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
In the book, Ronson recalled befriending Ethan, who at the time was roommates in New York City with Simon Rex.
—Rachel Desantis, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for befriending
Verb
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The moment the band members began this chant at Woodstock became arguably the biggest moment of their careers, with over 400,000 people joining in.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Phillips accepted the honor via live stream from Cape Town, South Africa, joining the global camera community in celebration.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In our roundup of travel news this week, why social bathhouses are a hot new wellness trend, the Portuguese chicken shop Chinese tourists are traveling thousands of miles to visit, plus travel chaos in the Middle East.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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At a Sheetz gas station equipped with high-resolution cameras, authorities spotted a car matching Shelia Eddy’s vehicle passing through around midnight—traveling in the direction of Blacksville.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Accessibility Despite the villa’s vertiginous surroundings, the elevators connecting the reception and the main villa ensure wheelchair access to the rooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
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And the manufacturer’s speed limiter had been disabled by cutting the wire and connecting it to a key switch, allowing the rider to push the bike to 60 mph.—
Cierra Morgan
March 4,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Befriending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befriending. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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